🎄 Every unstoppable monster has a beginning. 

🎙️ Erin Evans, Joey O., and Brandon Medley squeeze onto the couch to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “The Simpsons” and its series premiere, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” or, as it was introduced to us in 1989, “The Simpsons’ Christmas Special.” 

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💬 Topics & Tangents: 

The time I accidentally watched “The Tracey Ullman Show,” because I was too sick to get up and change the channel. 

We can’t talk about early Simpsons without mentioning Burger King toys, The Simpsons arcade game, and of course, “Do the Bartman.” 

Bart’s first Butterfinger commercial. 

Al Jean’s 5 favorite Simpsons episodes (The Wall Street Journal, 2014) 

Animator Eric Stefani had already founded some band with his sister while working on this episode. 

The crowdsourced origins of “Jingle Bells, Batman Smells” and the “like a light bulb!” interjections to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” 

Real, intentionally unfinished “Moth” tattoos. 

The tattoo artist was retroactively named Mervin Monroe, Dr. Marvin’s younger brother. 

Early, strange in hindsight prototypes of Springfield citizens, including a more competent Ralph Wiggum, a cockier Milhouse, and a Ned Flanders who says, “Happy holidays.” 

The time Brandon cut down his own Christmas tree. 

My guest appearance on the Two Bad Neighbors podcast for “Marge Be Not Proud.” 

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“The Simpsons” and “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” ©1989 20th Century Fox Television. 

Closing Music: The Simpsons Theme, performed by Green Day, ©2007 Reprise Records. 

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